Relay controlled switching assembly



J. W. WANNER RELAY CONTROLLED SWITCHING ASSEMBLY Feb. 14, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1964 INVENTOR. JOSEPH W. WANNER msu LATION ULATIO H l5 ATTORNEY Feb. 14, 1967 w. W R 3,304,483

RELAY CONTROLLED SWITCHING ASSEMBLY Filed July 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INSULATION NSULATION f4 .7 4; I "LO a [1M Ii '46 i6 gf g 19 w 74f ,49 32 W M! L [1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH W. WAN NER Hi5 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifiee 3,304 483 RELAY CONTROLLED SWITCHING ASSEMBLY Joseph W. Wanner, Dayton, Uhio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 2, 1964, Ser. No. 379,955 6 Claims. (Cl. 318-265) This invention relates to a control switch and more particularly to a control switch for starting, stopping and reversing a door operator mechanism for opening and closing a garage door closure or the like.

An object of the present invention is to improve a control switch for a door operating mechanism of the type set forth in United States Patent 2,992,819, issued July 18, 1961, to George W. Jackson for Door Operating Mechanism by the provision of means therein operable to effect stopping of the door operating mechanism during travel of the door by a momentary contact of a control button in the control system or a reversal of operation of the mechanism during such travel upon continuing contact of the control button.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lowcost, reliable control switch that effects reversal of rotation of an electric motor and stopping thereof in a predetermined manner for controlling the operation of a garage door or the like during its traveling movement wherein the switch includes a motor reversing component and a power supply switch independently operable to condition a control circuit to obtain reverse motor operation following complete door opening or closing and arranged to be operatively associated with said reversing switch for effecting stopping of a door during its movement by a momentary contact of a control button and reversal of direction of movement of the door upon a sustained contact of the control button.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a garage door operating mechanism shown operatively associated with the control switch of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the control switch looking in the direction of arrow 2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view in vertical line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic showing of a control circuit including the switch of the present invention.

With reference to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a control mechanism 10 is shown associated with a portion of a garage door mechanism 12 of the type more detailedly set forth in Patent 2,992,819 which is representative of one of many garage door operators that moves a garage door or the like from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position merely by contacting the control button portion of a radio control unit or other suitable means in a control circuit associated with the electrical drive motor of the operating mechanism.

The illustrated embodiment of the control mechanism 10 comprises a first switching assembly 14 for controlling reversing of current flow to an electric motor portion of the operator so as to effect opening and closing of the section taken along the 3,304,483 Patented F eb. 14, 1967 garage door associated therewith and a second switching assembly 16 for controlling energization of the switching assembly 14 in a manner to be discussed. The control mechanism illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 6 is shown in an operative position attained when the garage door or the like controlled by the mechanism is in its fully opened or fully closed positions.

The control mechanism 10 also includes a solenoid 15 having a pivotal armature portion 18 attracted to a magnetiza'ble core 26 when the solenoid is energized.

The armature 18, more particularly, has one endthereof slotted at 22 to receive a bent-over tapered end portion 24 of a coil supporting framework 26 secured to a switch base 28 by suitable fastening means (not shown). The upper surface of the armature 18 is spring biased against the bent-over end 24 by a coil spring element 32 fastened at one end to a terminus portion of the armature 18 and at the opposite end to a tab 34 extending outwardly of frame 26 below the end of armature 18. The armature i thereby normally held upwardly away from the core 20 so that a somewhat U-shaped actuator member or pawl element 36 pivotally supported on the free end of the armature 18 will clear teeth 38 on a ratchet wheel 40, as best shown in FIGURE 5. In the raised position a first depending arm 4-1 of the pawl element is pivoted toward the wheel 46 by a leaf spring 42 secured on the upper surface of armature 18. Another depending arm 43 on element 36 serves as a stop to limit advance of wheel 46 in a predetermined desired manner.

A shaft 44 rotatably supported at either end thereof by upwardly directed arms 45, 46 on the frame 26 and fixedly secured to wheel 40 has a large diameter outboard extension from the arm 46 fixedly secured to a cam wheel 48 having a predetermined peripheral configuration representatively shown in FIGURE 1 as including valleys 50 and peaks 52 thereon for effecting a predetermined positioning of contact portions of the reversing switch It in a manner to be discussed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the switching assembly 14 further includes a plurality of stacked contact carrying cantilevered spring arms or strips 60, 62, 64, 66, 68 having good electrical conductor charcteristics. The conductor strip 6i), more particularly, has one end thereof fixedly secured between insulating blocks 70, 72 and its opposite end cantilevered outwardly thereof where it is held in a predetermined position by an arm 74 also having one end thereof rigidly supported between insulating blocks 70, 72. The arm 60, in cooperation with the arm 74, effects a lightweight relatively rigid support for an electrical contact '76 supported on the free end of the conductor strip 60 so as to engage a movable contact 78 supported adjacent the free end of conductor strip 62. Like strip 60, the conductor strip 62 is fixedly secured at one end thereof between the insulating block 72 and a conductor plate 80 and cantilevered outwardly to position the movable contact 78 in alignment with the fixed contact '76. A dependin member 82 on strip 62 is biased by the spring arm 62 against the free end of the spring arm 66. The spring arm 64 is located intermediate the spring arms 62 and 66 and has one end thereof fixedly secured between the conductor plate 80 and an insulating block 84 and a cantilevered free end located outwardly thereof to support a movable contact 86 for movement with respect to a movable contact 88 carried on the free end of the elongated conductor strip 66.

The intermediate conductor strip 64 is engaged by an offset end portion of an electrically insulated connecting arm 90 secured at its opposite end to the armature 18 for movement therewith so as to maintain the movable contact 86 separated from the contact 88 on conductor strip 66 during periods when the solenoid 15 is de-energized.

The arm 66 has its fixed end located between the insulating block 84 and a like block 92. The free end of the arm is bent over at 93 and biased toward cam Wheel 48 to be s-upportingly received by the valleys 58 and peaks 52 thereon depending upon their position with respect to the bent-over end 93.

The elongated spring arm 68 has the fixed end thereof secured between insulating blocks 92, 94 and the opposite free end thereof biased toward the movable contact 88 against the opposing biasing action of a spring arm 96 which, in cooperation with conductor strip 68, serves to fixedly locate a contact 98 with respect to the movable contact 88. The contacts 76, 78 cooperate to form a first pair of reversing contacts; the contacts 86, 88, for purposes of this specification, will be referred to as momentary contacts and contacts 88, 98 will be referred to as a second pair of reversing contacts. In the structural figures of the invention terminals T through T extend, respectively, from conductor strips 68, 62, 64, 66 and 68.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the switch 16 serves as a main line switch or cutoff switch and is shown as being secured to the support plate or base 28 at a position offset from the operative parts of the reversing switch 14. The cutoff switch 16 is of the type having a pair of spaced fixed contacts 180, 102 selectively engaged by a movable contact 183 carried on the end of a cantilevered conductor blade 104 upon movement of an actuatable plunger element 105 into engagement with a downwardly biased movable plate 106 that actuates a toggle spring 107 into upper and lower overcenter positions to effect a desired biasing of the movable contact against the fixed contacts. Each of the fixed contacts is carried on a conductor strip 188 each of which is insulated from the rest of the control mechanism and suitable terminals T T extend from switch 16 for its connection in a control circuit.

The cutoff switch 16 cooperates with the reversing switch 14 to effect a desired conditioning of a garage door operator control circuit to produce a reverse drive following complete door opening or closing and to produce stopping of the garage door while it is moving between closing and opening positions by momentary contact of a control button or the like and to produce continuous closure of the control button, respectively.

One representative garage door operating mechanism that may be suitably controlled by the present invention is shown as comprising an electric motor 109 having a drive shaft that is secured to a pinion 118 located within a garage door operator housing 111. On the housing 111 is mounted the control mechanism 18 so that plunger 105 thereon is directed inwardly thereof as best shown in FIGURE 1.

The pinion 110 engages a pair of spaced planet gears 112, 113 that are each operatively associated with a spur gear 114 that, in turn, engages a surrounding ring gear element 115 supportingly received by an inner surface of an annular wall portion 116 of housing 111 for rotation therein in guided relationship relative thereto.

The planet gears 112, 113 are secured to a pulley 118 by suitable shafts 120, 122, respectively, whereby the pulley 118 upon movement of the pinion 110 and gears 112, 113 is rotated in a like direction.

In the illustrated embodiment the ring gear 115 has an axis of rotation common to the axis of rotation of pinion 110 and is thereby disposed concentrically of a brake band 124 that is located in surrounding frictional engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the annular wall 116 of housing 111. The frictional engagement between brake band 124 and housing wall portion 116 normally restrains rotation of the ring gear 115 about the axis common to that of pinion 118. Accordingly, the ring gear 115 under normal conditions may be considered a stationary element within which the planet gears 112, 113 rotate about the pinion 110.

I The brake band 124 has each of its opposite ends provided with loops 126, 128 that are engaged by spring urged plunger members 138, 132, respectively. Each of the plunger members 138, 132 is spring biased toward one another by means of compression springs 134, 136, respectively, for retaining the brake band 124 in a predetermined adjustable frictional engagement with the wall portion 116 of housing 111.

The ring gear 115 also includes an annular surface 138 on the outer periphery thereof that is eccentric to its central axis and the axis of pinion 118. This surface engages plunger and because of the aforementioned eccentricity produces a desired actuation of the plunger 105 upon movement thereof about the axis of pinion 110.

The pulley 118 has an endless cable 148 running thereover that connects to a garage door or the like to open and close the same upon alternate reverse rotation of pulley 118 as produced by alternate reverse rotation of the electric motor driving pinion 110. This aspect of the mechanism is more particularly set forth in the above-mentioned Patent No. 2,826,658 with it being understood that the garage door mechanism is merely representative of one system that produces a desired operating motion upon the occurrence of a predetermined driving torque in the operating system to condition the control mechanism in a desired manner.

More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, when the garage door associated with the actuator reaches a fully opened or closed position, movement of the cable 148 will stop so as to produce a reaction between pulley 118 and ring gear to thereby effect a predetermined rotation of ring gear 115 against the resistance of brake band 124 so as to move the outer peripheral cam surface 138 on ring gear 115 with respect to plunger 105 so as to move it upwardly as shown in FIGURE 1 as to position the switch contact portions thereof in a desired manner.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical control circuit including the improved control switching assembly of the present invention to be acted upon by the torque responsive garage door operating mechanism for controlling the operation of the motor associated therewith. In the illustrated electrical circuit, a suitable manually actuatable controller is illustrated as including a two-contact, push-button switch 142 selectively operable to complete a controller circuit 143 through a secondary coil 144 of a transformer 146 having the primary coil 148 thereof connected across power lines L N. When the push button 142 is closed the coil 20 of solenoid 15 located in the controller circuit 143 is energized for producing a preselected switching action of first and second pairs of reversing contacts in the reversing switch 14. In the illustrated control circuit the contacts 76, 78 are in a conductor 152 across lines L N which includes one Winding 153 of motor 109. Similarly, contacts 88, 98 are in a conductor 154 across lines L N that includes a Winding 155 of the motor. A capacitor 156 is provided across these windings to effect a well-known capacitor starting of the motor. Additionally, line switch 16 has the fixed contacts 100, 182 therein, respectively, electrically connected to conductors 152, 154 so that the movable contact 103 of the switch will complete circuits between lines -L N when moved into electrical contact with one or the other of the fixed contacts. In the illustrated circuit the pair of momentary control contacts 86, 88 are electrically connected between conductors 152, 154, respectively, by a conductor 156 at a point between switch 16 and the pairs of reversing contacts in switch 14 and the arm that carries contact 88. To more fully demonstrate the relationship between control mechanism 10 and the door operator control circuit shown in FIGURE 7, terminals T T are designated therein.

The control switch assembly of the present invention as illustrated in FIGURE 1 has assumed a position attained at the end of a movement of a garage door upon either opening or closing thereof. In this position, the cam surface 138 has moved the plunger 105 so as to cause movement of the contact 103 into electrical contact with contact 102. This opens the circuit between L and N across conductor 154. The motor energization circuit through conductor 152 is at this time opened since contacts 76, 78 are held apart by the relationship between the mechanical parts of reversing switch 14, as best shown in FIGURE 1.

When it is desired to close the garage door or open it from its previously opened or closed position, the control button 142 is momentarily depressed to complete a circuit through the secondary coil 144 so as to energize solenoid coil 20 of the solenoid relay 15, which in turn through mechanical means such as is re presentatively shown in FIGURES 1 through 6 causes the switch arms 62, 66 to assume a reverse position wherein the motor energization circuit through conductor 152 is closed and the same kind of circuit through the conductor 154 is opened. Accordingly, there is a completed circuit through conductor 152 from L through the closed contacts 100, 103 of cutoff switch 16, closed contacts 75, 78 and winding 153 to line N. In this position, the motor is conditioned to move the door from its opened or closed position.

When the door is thus moved to a fully opened or closed position a predetermined motor torque occurs that will drive cam 138 to produce movement of the plunger 105 into housing 111 sufiicient to move the contact 103 into engagement with contact 100 to stop the motor and effect a presetting of the circuit for a reverse motor operation when the button 142 is again manually depressed.

In accordance with certain of the principles of the present invention the improved control mechanism illustrated and discussed above, in addition to being automatically responsive to door movement or the like to effect motor reversal is also operable to condition the control circuit for motor reversal upon momentarily contacting a control button or the like. The switch further is operable to stop the motor intermediate the fully opened and closed door positions upon continually contacting such a button. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment in order to effect a motor stopping action inter mediate the opened and closed door positions, the control button 142 is actuated following energization of the circuit during which time the motor is opening or closing the door. Such actuation of the button 142 will energize the relay coil 20 so as to move the pawl arm 41 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 40 to move the follower or bent-over portion 93 (FIGURE 1) from a valley or ridge in cam wheel 48 into a ridge or valley to reverse the positions of switch arms 66, 62. This operation is carried out independently of the main line or cutoff switch and will o en and close the reversing contact pairs 76, 78 and 88, 98, respectively, to cut off the motor from line L For example, if the circuit is conditioned to be driven in a first predetermined direction as illus trated in FIGURE 7, a momentary manual depressing of button 142 will advance the ratchet wheel one step to move the follower from a valley to a ridge so that the contacts 76, 78 are in a closed position and contacts 88, 98 are in an opened position to energize the motor. If it is desired to stop the motor, the button 142 is depressed, the solenoid drives the pawl and ratchet wheel so as to open contacts 76, 78 and close contacts 88, 98.

Another feature of the illustrated arrangement is that upon continuously depressing the control button 142, a continuous energization of the solenoid coil 20 is effected that will produce a movement of armature 18 toward the solenoid coil to move the pawl arm 41 against the ratchet wheel 40 so as to advance it one step and maintain it advanced in that position whereby the stepping wheel 48 will reverse the position of the pairs of reversing switch contacts 76, 78 and 88, 98 from their previously set position as, for example, from a position wherein the contacts 102, 103 are closed, the contacts 76, 78 are closed and contacts 88, 98 are opened. Normally this would effect stopping of the electric motor. However, the actuator arm will position the movable momentary switch arm 64 so that contact 86 thereon is in electrical cont-act with contact 88 whereby a circuit is completed from L through switch 16, conductor 152, conductor 156, closed contacts 86, 88, 98, conductor 154 and winding 155 to the line N to thereby condition the motor for reverse operation. The reverse operation is terminated merely by opening the button 142 to de-energize solenoid coil 20 and thereby release contact 86 from engagement with contact 88.

By virtue of the afore-described improved control mechanism, a reversible electric motor of a garage door actuator will be conditionable to automatically advance a door between opened and closed positions and effect a reverse operation upon depressing the control button following door closing and opening and, furthermore, the

control enables the motor to be stopped merely by momentarily depressing the button 142 intermediate the opened and closed positions and reversed in operation intermediate such positions by continuously depressing the control button.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a control system for a garage door operator having a reversible electric motor energized from a power source the combination of, relay means, manually actuatable means for selectively energizing said relay means, first switch means for completing a circuit from the source of power through the electric motor, second switch means operative independently of said first switch means cooperating with said first switch means for connecting the electric motor across the source of power, said second switch means including first and second pairs of actuatable contacts, actuator means operatively associated with said first and second pairs of contacts including means for maintaining one pair of contacts open and the other of said pair of contacts closed, switching means disposed between said actuator means and said relay means for reversing the positions of said first and second pairs of actuatable contacts, said switching means being operated upon momentary energization of said relay means to stop rotation of the motor, said switch means including means operative upon continuous energization of said relay means to condition the motor for reverse rotation.

2. In a control switch assembly for a garage door operator including a reversible electric motor connected to a source of power the combination of, reversing switch means including a first and a second pair of contacts, contact positioning means for maintaining said first and second pairs of contacts oppositely opened and closed, relay means adapted to be connected to a selectively energizable controlling circuit, armature means in said relay means movable upon energization thereof, means disposed between said armature means and said contact positioning means operable upon energization of said relay means to move said contact positioning means into first and second predetermined positions, a movable contact adapted to be electrically connected with one of said pairs of switching contacts momentarily upon momentary energization of said relay means, and means for maintaining said movable contact in continuous engagement with said one pair of contacts upon continuous energization of said relay means.

3. In a control system for a garage door operator having a reversible electric motor, a control circuit including a manually actuatable control element, said control circuit including electromagnetic means selectively energizable in response to a first predetermined movement of said control element, first switch means including first and second pairs of contacts selectively engageable in respouse to a predetermined drive torque in the reversible motor, second switch means cooperating with said first switch means for conditioning the motor for rotation in opposite directions including first and second pairs of contacts one pair being opened and the other pair being closed, means responsive to energization of said electromagnetic means for positioning said first and second pairs of contacts in a first controlling position operative when said first switch means is in a first operative position to produce a first motor rotation, said positioning means being operative to reverse the positions of said first and second pairs of contacts, said second switch means being reversible upon momentary energization of said electromagnetic means to stop motor rotation, and means including a movable contact engageable with one of said second switch means contacts during continuous energization of said electromagnetic means to condition the motor in cooperation with said first switch means to produce a reverse rotation of said motor.

4. In the combination of claim 3, said switch positioning means including a rotatable shaft having a ratchet wheel and a cam wheel fixedly secured thereon for rotation therewith, a tooth engaging element driven upon energization of said electromagnetic means to drivingly engage said ratchet wheel for advancing said cam wheel in a predetermined fashion for effecting the switching movement in said first and second pairs of contacts.

5. In the combination of claim 3, a cantilevered spring arm supporting said movable contact with respect to said one of said second switch means contacts, and support means for said cantilevered spring arm movable in response to energization of said electromagnetic means for positioning said movable contact in electrical contact with said one contact upon continuous energization of said electromagnetic means.

6. In a control switch assembly the combination of, first switch means including first and second fixed contacts spaced one from the other, movable contact means selectively actuatable for snap-acting movement relative to said first and second fixed contacts into first and second control circuit conditioning positions, in energizable electromagnet, armature means operatively associated with said electromagnet for movement relative thereto upon energization thereof, second switch means including first and second pairs of reversing contacts and a plurality of elongated contact carrying conductor arms directed in spaced parallelism with one another, a rotatable shaft having a ratchet wheel and a cam wheel fixedly secured thereto for rotation therewith, pawl means on the end of said armature means selectively engageable with said ratchet wheel for advancing said wheel a predetermined distance-upon energization of said electromagnet, cam follower means supportingly engaged by said cam wheel to be driven thereby into first and second controlling positions, said plurality of elongated conductor arms being positioned upon movement of said cam follower means into its first controlling position to close said first pair of reversing contacts and to open said second pair of reversing contacts, movement of said cam follower means into.

its second controlling position closing said first pair of reversing contacts and opening said second pair of reversing contacts, said first switch means cooperating with said first and second pairs of reversing contacts for conditioning a control circuitto start and stop a reversible electric motor, one of said contact carrying conductor arms being disposed intermediate said first and second pairs of reversing contacts, a momentarily movable contact on said intermediately arranged arm selectively movable into engagement with one contact of said pairs of first and second reversing contacts, and means for positioning said contact on said intermediately arranged contact carrying arm out of engagement with said reversing contacts following momentary energization of said electromagnet, said movable contact on said intermediately arranged arm engaging said one reversing contact upon continuous energization of said electromagnet for producing reverse motor operation.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,737,621 3/1956 Hamilton 318-266 2,826,658 3/1958 Jackson 3 l8-266 2,882,045 4/1959 Moore 3l8266 2,992,819 7/1961 Jackson 318-267 3,136,870 6/1964 Van Eck.

ORIS L. RADER, Primary Examiner.

B. DOBECK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR HAVING A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR ENERGIZED FROM A POWER SOURCE THE COMBINATION OF, RELAY MEANS, MANUALLY ACTUATABLE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENERGIZING SAID RELAY MEANS, FIRST SWITCH MEANS FOR COMPLETING A CIRCUIT FROM THE SOURCE OF POWER THROUGH THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, SECOND SWITCH MEANS OPERATIVE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ACROSS THE SOURCE OF POWER, SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF ACTUATABLE CONTACTS, ACTUATOR MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONTRACTS INCLUDING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING ONE PAIR OF CONTACTS OPEN AND THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF CONTACTS CLOSED, SWITCHING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ACTUATOR MEANS AND SAID RELAY MEANS FOR REVERSING THE POSITIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF ACTUATABLE CONTACTS, SAID SWITCHING MEANS BEING OPERATED UPON MOMENTARY ENERGIZATION OF SAID RELAY MEANS TO STOP ROTATION OF THE MOTOR, SAID SWITCH MEANS INCLUDING MEANS OPERATIVE UPON CONTINUOUS ENERGIZATION OF SAID RELAY MEANS TO CONDITION THE MOTOR FOR REVERSE ROTATION. 